The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (743 page)

BOOK: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
10.34Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

As I thought, dead, and have in vain said many

A prayer upon her grave. I'll not seek far--

For him, I partly know his mind--to find thee

An honourable husband. Come, Camillo,

And take her by the hand, whose worth and honesty

Is richly noted and here justified

By us, a pair of kings. Let's from this place.

What! look upon my brother: both your pardons,

That e'er I put between your holy looks

My ill suspicion. This is your son-in-law,

And son unto the king, who, heavens directing,

Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina,

Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely

Each one demand an answer to his part

Perform'd in this wide gap of time since first

We were dissever'd: hastily lead away.

 

Exeunt

 

Oh, peace, Paulina!

You will take a husband with my permission,

as I take a wife with yours: this is a bargain

that we have sworn between us. You have found mine;

but how, I don't know; for I saw her,

as I thought, dead, and have in vain said many

prayers at her grave. I'll not look far–

I partly know what he's thinking–to find you

an honourable husband. Come, Camillo,

and take her by the hand; your worth and honesty

is fully appreciated and vouched for

by us, a pair of kings. Let's go from this place.

 

What! Look at my brother: both of you

forgive me,

for ever regarding your holy looks

with my foul suspicions. This is your son-in-law,

the son of the king, who, directed by the gods,

is engaged to your daughter. Good Paulina,

take us from here, where we can at leisure

question each other, and say what has happened

in this great stretch of time, since we

were first separated: quickly take us away.

 

In Plain and Simple English

 

M.ANTONY, Triumvir

OCTAVIUS CAESAR, Triumvir

M. AEMIL. LEPIDUS, Triumvir

SEXTUS POMPEIUS Triumvir

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, friend to Antony

VENTIDIUS, friend to Antony

EROS, friend to Antony

SCARUS, friend to Antony

DERCETAS, friend to Antony

DEMETRIUS, friend to Antony

PHILO, friend to Antony

MAECENAS, friend to Caesar

AGRIPPA, friend to Caesar

DOLABELLA, friend to Caesar

PROCULEIUS, friend to Caesar

THYREUS, friend to Caesar

GALLUS, friend to Caesar

MENAS, friend to Pompey

MENECRATES, friend to Pompey

VARRIUS, friend to Pompey

TAURUS, Lieutenant-General to Caesar

CANIDIUS, Lieutenant-General to Antony

SILIUS, an Officer in Ventidius's army

EUPHRONIUS, an Ambassador from Antony to Caesar

ALEXAS, attendant on Cleopatra

MARDIAN, attendant on Cleopatra

SELEUCUS, attendant on Cleopatra

DIOMEDES, attendant on Cleopatra

A SOOTHSAYER

A CLOWN

CLEOPATRA, Queen of Egypt

OCTAVIA, sister to Caesar and wife to Antony

CHARMIAN, Attendant on Cleopatra

IRAS, Attendant on Cleopatra

Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants

 

 

Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO

 

PHILO

Nay, but this dotage of our general's

No, but this silly devotion of our general's

O'erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes,

Is way too much: his good eyes

That o'er the files and musters of the war

That over the business of war

Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,

Glowed like armored Mars [Roman god of war], now bend, now turn
The office and devotion of their view

The job and devotion of what they look at

Upon a tawny front: his captain's heart,

Are in a dark direction: his captain's heart,

Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst

Which in the battles of huge fights have burst

The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,

The buckles on his chest, he no longer has any passion for war,

And is become the bellows and the fan

And has become the way to manipulate

To cool a gipsy's lust.

A dark woman's lust.

 

Flourish. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Ladies, the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her

Look, where they come:

Look, see them come:

Take but good note, and you shall see in him.

Just pay attention, and you will see it in him.

The triple pillar of the world transform'd

The ruler and strength of the world transformed
Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see.

Into a slut's fool: look and see.

 

CLEOPATRA

If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

If it really is love, tell me how much.

 

MARK ANTONY

There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd.

Any love that could easily be summarized is not much at all.

 

CLEOPATRA

I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved.

I'll send a ship as far as your love.

 

MARK ANTONY

Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

Then you would have to find a new heaven, a new earth.

 

Enter an Attendant

 

Attendant

News, my good lord, from Rome.

There is news, sir, from Rome.

 

MARK ANTONY

Grates me: the sum.

I'm busy: be brief.

 

CLEOPATRA

Nay, hear them, Antony:

No, listen to them, Antony:

Fulvia perchance is angry; or, who knows

It is possible Fulvia is angry; or, who knows

If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent

If the thinly-bearded Caesar has not sent

His powerful mandate to you, 'Do this, or this;

His powerful orders to you, "Do this, or this;

Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that;

Conquer that kingdom, and make that happen;

Perform 't, or else we damn thee.'

Perform it, or else we condemn you."

 

MARK ANTONY

How, my love!

How, my love?

 

CLEOPATRA

Perchance! nay, and most like:

Possibly! And even more likely,

You must not stay here longer, your dismission

You must not stay here longer, your order to leave

Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it, Antony.

Has come from Caesar; so listen to it, Antony.

Where's Fulvia's process? Caesar's I would say? both?

Where is Fulvia's procession? Or I should say Caesar's? Both?

Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen,

Call in the messengers. As truly as I am Egypt's queen,

Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine

You blush, Antony; and that blood of yours

Is Caesar's homager: else so thy cheek pays shame

Honors Caesar: or else your cheek shows shame

When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messengers!

When sharp-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messengers!

Other books

The Pale House by Luke McCallin
Take Me On by Katie McGarry
TOUCH ME SOFTLY by Darling, Stacey
Tuppence To Spend by Lilian Harry
Stalker (9780307823557) by Nixon, Joan Lowery
Best Laid Plans by Elaine Raco Chase
The Tent by Gary Paulsen
The Temporary Mrs. King by Maureen Child
Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta